What Should a Kindergartener Know Academically?

Figuring out where your child stands during their time in kindergarten can be overwhelming, as many kids advance at different rates.  One kindergartener can enjoy playing make-believe while another might be reading books. The good news is there is a basic list of accepted things that most average kindergarteners should be able to master by the time their first school year is up.  Kindergarten games will help your student master these skills.

What Should a Kindergartener Know Academically?

Shapes & Colors

Most students have this skill mastered by the time they finish preschool, but others may struggle with shapes and colors.  Stick with the basic colors of the rainbow and work to master basic 2D shapes first on paper and then in the world around you.  Turtle Diary’s Learn Shapes and Color by Number can be the first games that your child loves to play.

Counting & Number Recognition

By the time kindergarten is over, all students should be able to count forwards from 1-30, being able to recognize all of the numbers on the number line.  Number line skills are important as well, as are manipulatives for visualizing what a group of numbers looks like.  Spot the Number will help to reinforce those recognition skills, while Compare Two Numbers will help to reinforce those visualizations.

Basic Mathematics

Other basic mathematical skills include skip counting by 2s, 5s, and 10s, as well as some basic addition and subtraction.  Once students have mastered counting and number recognition, they can use a Hundred Number Chart to see the relationships of the numbers.  Identifying even and odd numbers is a big skill to master, as is counting by 10s, which will be eventually reinforced with their study of the dime in money skills.  Use Turtle Diary’s Connect Count series to practice 2s, 5s, and 10s.  Then they can move on to Addition Equation, where they will put their skills to the test.

Letter Recognition & Phonics

Another important recognition skill are the 26 letters of the English alphabet, which students must not only master but also learn their phonetic properties.  Identifying the letters first and then moving onto vowels and consonant phonics will be the key to building pre-reading skills.  Falling Letters is a great and fast-paced way to work on letter recognition, and Word Ladder can help them build new words with basic vowel-consonant patterns.

Time & Seasons

Working with the four seasons and using a calendar are big goals for kindergarteners, as time is a difficult concept to master.  Working with calendars on a daily basis will help them master this skill, and using games like Days of the Week and  Month of the Year will reinforce it.

Writing

Being able to master hand-eye coordination enough to make basic capital letters is another major concept to be achieved in kindergarten.  This is an area where practice definitely makes perfect, so encourage your student to work one letter one day at a time until they master their shapes.  Write Uppercase Letters can be a gamechanger for young students.

How Do Turtle Diary’s Online Games Help Kindergarten Kids Prep for Success?

Repetition & Variety

Turtle Diary’s Kindergarten Games includes everything that your child needs to master basic kindergarten skills, and more!  More advanced students will love exploring countries of the world, while struggling students might just want to go back and practice the basics.  Whatever your level, Turtle Diary has the answer.

Computer Literacy

Kindergarteners may not have ever used an electronic device, though the vast majority will have.  Giving your student a chance to work on the computer or another device gives them the experience necessary to function in our modern, ever-changing world, so why not have some fun in the process while gaining computer literacy?

When your child’s in kindergarten online games can give them the boost of confidence that they need in the educational environment.  Your job as a parent will always be to encourage their progress and help them along the way, and Turtle Diary takes the frustration out of learning with fun, repetitive games in a wide variety that continue to support and grow their minds.  Try out some online games at Turtle Diary today!